In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the “Clean Air in Buildings Challenge,” an initiative aimed at supporting building owners and operators looking for ways to safeguard the health of their building occupants through the improvement of indoor air quality (IAQ). Released as part of the White House’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, the initiative calls for several actions building owners can take to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 as well as other airborne viruses and particles.
The recommendations put forth in the “Clean Air in Buildings Challenge” begin with the critical step of creating a clean indoor air action plan. This includes assessing building IAQ, planning for upgrades and improvements, and executing HVAC inspections and maintenance.
Following these assessments and the implementation of an action plan, the EPA recommends optimizing fresh air ventilation through HVAC systems and settings, as well as enhancing air filtration through the use of portable air cleaners, properly sized MERV-13 air filters, and UVGI systems. These crucial actions can then be used to continue increasing awareness and rallying community engagement and commitment to improving indoor air quality, resulting in better health outcomes.
“The EPA’s recommendations align closely with Steril-Aire’s own practices over the years,” said Steve Gitkin, senior vice president for Steril-Aire. “With decades of experience as a company, our team is trained to help building managers determine their IAQ needs and develop action plans. There also are more resources than ever to help make essential enhancements; those wanting to update poor or outdated ventilation technology and install UVGI systems can use flexible funds from the American Rescue Plan to help supplement their investments.”
At Steril-Aire, our customers and partners have relied on our expertise in IAQ for more than 30 years. In fact, though other companies also have begun offering ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) solutions since the onset of the pandemic, Steril-Aire holds the original patent for UVGI disinfection in HVAC applications. Our expertise and longstanding commitment to helping improve IAQ is why we’re excited to see the EPA offer these recommendations and why we’re conducting our own campaign to increase awareness of IAQ improvement strategies.
The Steril-Aire campaign, #IAQAcrossAmerica, is focused on providing education around improving indoor air and delivering clarity about scientifically proven IAQ solutions. Our goal is to help building managers assess their individual needs, implement strategies, and create a call to action via social media and on-site displays about the importance of improving indoor air through disinfection technologies.
“Steril-Aire is passionate about finding ways to improve the air we breathe,” said Josh Oelker, Vertical Market Director. “Having access to clean air is just as important as having the right to clean water. With these new recommendations in place and the educational campaigns supporting IAQ, we have a unique opportunity to drastically improve indoor air quality in buildings throughout the country.”
With expertise in fresh air ventilation, enhanced air filtration, and air disinfection through UVGI, Steril-Aire can develop custom solutions for both in-room and HVAC applications. Additionally, the new educational campaign includes free #IAQAcrossAmerica assessments so business owners, organization leaders, and building operators can determine exactly what improvements are needed to keep their building occupants safe and healthy.
Steril-Aire’s custom solutions for clean indoor air include:
- The Ceiling HEPA Pro+, which provides a higher level of filtration beyond the recommended MERV-13 filters, all without impacting HVAC function and having an industry-leading Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)
- The Upper-Air Pro+, which is highly effective for in-room disinfection, combine industry-leading UVC output with a streamlined, attractive and highly-engineered design. The fixtures are easy to install and provide an excellent in-room IAQ pairing with the Ceiling HEPA Pro+
- A variety of other UVGI technologies that can be applied within the HVAC system to disinfect the air, improve IAQ, and increase energy efficiency
Contact Josh Oelker to learn more about #IAQAcrossAmerica, the new guidelines released by the EPA, and how you can schedule a free building assessment with Steril-Aire.
